"All that you have said is false," cried Tecumseh. "You and the Seventeen Fires (States) have cheated and imposed upon the Indians."
"You are a bad man," Harrison replied through the interpreter. "I will have nothing more to do with you. Since you have come here for a council, you can go to your canoes in safety, but you must immediately leave my village."
When the Indians heard this message, they turned around sullenly and departed in the direction of their boats, while the soldiers kept their guns cocked until they were out of sight. It had been an exciting episode, and the citizens breathed a sigh of relief as they saw the painted warriors disappearing through the woods. As night fell, Harrison had two companies of militia brought into the town, and ordered the men to sleep on their arms, as the Indians would undoubtedly make an attack. But none came, and all were much surprised the next day to see a Shawnee runner come into the streets of the town with a note from Tecumseh, begging for another interview. "Certain white men have told me to defy the power of the United States," wrote the Shawnee, "and I do not intend to attack either town or soldiers." Pleased by this pacific message, Harrison granted another interview, so the crafty chief of the Shawnees soon put in an appearance, attended by the same retinue as before. He was now calm, and conducted himself with courtesy and consideration.
After a lengthy conversation, the Governor said: "You know, great chief, that the mighty father of the white men in Washington has decreed that these lands which we have purchased from the Miamis be surveyed. Will you oppose our surveyors when we send them into this country?"
Tecumseh's eye flashed fire, as he replied, through the interpreter: "Nothing can shake the determination of myself and my followers to insist upon the old boundary between your land and ours, before you made this purchase from the Miamis."
He sat down amidst a chorus of "Hows!" from the chiefs assembled, and then the leading sachems of the Wyandots, Pottawatomies, Ottawas and Winnebagos arose, and each, in turn, said that he entered in league with Tecumseh and the Shawnees, and would help them to repel any advance of the whites beyond the Wabash River.
"I will make known your decision to the Great Father in Washington," said Harrison, "and I am certain that Tecumseh's claim to the land will never be acknowledged, as the land has been bought by us from the original owners, the Miamis, who had a perfect right to sell it." The council now ended.
Next day the Governor visited Tecumseh in his camp, and was received with great politeness by the great chief, who was very frank and open in stating his views. "The Seventeen Fires (United States) will soon drown all of my people," said he, with great feeling. "If your great father in Washington will agree to give up the lands which he has bought from the Miamis; will agree never to make a treaty for land without the consent of all of our allied tribes, and will consult with me as the spokesman of these tribes; I will be your ally in the war which I know will shortly take place with England. If you will not do this, I will join with my white brothers from Canada, who have sent me many messages asking for my assistance in warfare with your people."
"I will make your views known to the President," said Harrison, "but I know that he will not agree with them."
"Well," replied Tecumseh, "as the great chief is to settle the matter, I hope the Great Spirit will put enough sense into his head to cause him to give up the land. It is true that he is so far off that he will not be injured by the war. He will sit still in his own town and drink his wine, while you and I will have to fight it out."